


Gwen and Elle, 2005: The Sprain

by Ailelie, Cinaed



Series: Enduring Legends [12]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Female Friendship, Female Protagonist, First Meetings, Flashback, Gen, No season 4 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-08
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:55:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailelie/pseuds/Ailelie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinaed/pseuds/Cinaed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Thursday, January 27 2005</em></p><p>A flashback, in which Gwen must find a new roommate ASAP.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gwen and Elle, 2005: The Sprain

 

 _Thursday, January 27 2005_

 _  
_

Gwen stapled the flyer to the message post with more force than necessary. She should be studying, outlining her textbooks, or listening to her professor's podcast—anything except trudging around campus putting up these horrid flyers begging for a roommate. Not for the first time, she wondered what the hell had happened with Anna. Before the break, Anna had been talking of making Gwen watch the old seasons of _West Wing_ with her and of possibly doing some volunteer work at the new youth center that had opened a few blocks from their apartment. Then, on Christmas Eve, she'd called with bad news and worse apologies. Gwen had been watching the impossible news about snow falling strong in Texas and enjoying one of the cookies Elliot had brought over earlier that day; she had not been in the right frame of mind to learn that Anna was leaving, even if she'd promised to still pay her half of the January rent.

January was nearly over now, but despite spreading the news that she needed a roommate ASAP via Craigslist, the school's off-campus housing board, and word-of-mouth, she was still living alone. Gwen pounded another flyer to the post, wincing she hit the heel of her hand wrong and pain echoed up her arm. She shook out her wrist, then sighed and leaned forward against the flyer she'd just posted. She took a deep breath and released it, calming herself as she did before a test. She stood back up, ignoring any of the glances directed her way, and walked into the nearest building. The posts were covered with flyers no one ever read. She needed to post somewhere with better exposure.

Eleven stories with airport terminal-long hallways, Lindel Hall was one of the largest and most depressing buildings on campus. Like most freshmen, Gwen had had several classes on the first couple floors her first year, but none since. She felt sorry for anyone who belonged to one of the programs on the long directory by the elevators. It seemed nearly all of the school's liberal arts degrees were huddled together on the upper floors.

Gwen looked around the area by the elevators, hoping to find a bulletin board where she could post her flyer, but the only ones there had signs stating that all posters had to be approved. She left a few on the tables in the small break room by the entrance doors, then, resorting to eeny meeny miney mo, she walked down one of the two halls that extended off the central area like a lightning bolt, in the hope of finding a free board either along the hall or by the stairs.

She posted one flyer outside the computer lab, idly explaining to those waiting in line for the computers she was reduced to doing so. As she left, she noticed someone tearing off her contact information, which was something at least.

At the end of the hallway, by the stairs and another set of doors leading outside, Gwen found another board without a sign. She reached up to staple the flyer up, but the stapler just slid against the wall. _Great,_ she thought, _I'm out of staples._ Gwen shifted her backpack so it fell down by her side and slipped her flyers inside. Then she rummaged through the front pocket seeking the small box of staples she'd bought alongside the stapler that morning.

She was pressed back against the wall, trying to both load her stapler and avoid getting in the way of the sudden sea of students crashing down the stairs when a student literally crashed down the stairs, landing at Gwen's feet with a loud curse.

The students flowed around the girl, but no one stopped to help her. Gwen shoved her still-open stapler into her bag and pushed through to the girl. "Are you all right? Do you think you can stand?"

"Let's see." The girl pushed one hand on the stairs behind her and tried to push up. "Dammit."

"Here," Gwen said, crouching down and offering her shoulder as leverage. "Let me help you out of the way, then I'll take a look at your ankle."

"Thanks." She started to push down on Gwen's shoulder, but then stopped. "Wait! My phone. Do you see it?"

Gwen looked around the stairs, spotting a cherry red phone a few feet away and a battery pack just beyond it. "Yeah. Just a second." Gwen shifted and reached for the phone and battery. The students had thinned out, leaving only her, the girl, and a few stragglers in the area. "Here." She snapped the battery back on as she handed the phone over and moved back to where

"Thanks," the girl said. "I'm Elle, by the way." She pushed up till she was standing.

"Gwen," Gwen replied. She helped Elle hobble out the door to one of the benches just outside the building. "It's a bit cold, sorry, but this is closer than anything else."

"It's fine."

Gwen crouched at Elle's feet. "May I?" she asked, gesturing to Elle's cuff.

"Sure. So," Elle asked as Gwen rolled up her jean leg. "Sports or premed?"

"Excuse me?"

Elle bounced her leg slightly. "Experience says that if you offer to help with an injured limb, you've either had a few yourself or you're a med-school hopeful."

"Experience?" Gwen asked, pulling off Elle's shoe.

"Vast experience," Elle confirmed dryly. "This time, though, was entirely my roommate's fault."

"Roommates are evil," Gwen said, thinking of Anna. "What did yours do?"

"She stole a costume I was creating for class and wore it to a frat party. Now it's stained, torn, and smells like beer." She drew in a sharp breath as Gwen prodded bruises forming on her ankle. "I found it this morning, draped over the back of my chair."

"It doesn't look too bad. You'll need a bandage, but if you keep off it, you should be fine in a week or so."

Elle laughed. "Right. You have seen the size of this campus, haven't you? I should be rushing over to Zinser right now."

"I can help you to the student health center," Gwen offered. The center was only down the street, and they were certain to have bandages and possibly crutches. "I'm not going across campus though." She helped Elle put her shoe back on and rolled down her cuff.

"You're awfully nice for being a complete stranger," Elle said, pulling herself up onto her good foot.

" _I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity_."

"Sounds like a line," Elle said, then, grimacing, added, "From a play, I mean. Not a _line_ line."

Gwen smiled. "Physician's Oath," she said. "To answer your earlier question, I'm pre-med."

"So what were you doing in Lindel?" Elle asked. She held onto Gwen's arm, quickly falling into a swifter limping pace than Gwen had expected. Perhaps Elle had not been exaggerating her "vast experience."

"Trying to find a roommate," Gwen said. "Mine decided to leave at Christmas break with no warning. Family issues, which I understand, of course, but I can't afford the apartment on my own."

"Where's your building?" Elle asked.

"Fifth and Main?"

"So you're near the theater," Elle said, thoughtfully. "I hate my roommate. Fae steals my clothes and homework and leaves messes even more than I can stand. How much is the rent?"

"475 a month," Gwen said. "Are you asking to move in?"

"I could definitely swing that," Elle said. "Yeah, I think I am."

Gwen thought about all of the flyers still waiting in her bag to be hung up around campus and the continued silence on her online posts. "No pets," she said. "I'd need quiet in the evenings to study."

"I spend most of my free time at the theater," Elle said. "I would appreciate someone to help me run lines on occasion."

"I'll trade you for helping me with flashcards. And," Gwen added, "I'd need your half of the February rent upfront."

"Deal," Elle said. She stood aside so that Gwen could open the door to the health center. "If we stop by my bank, I can pay you today. Do you have a TV?"

"Yes," Gwen asked, slightly confused. She helped Elle inside. "Why?"

"I am completely addicted to _House_ ," Elle said, settling back into one of the waiting room chairs.

Gwen laughed. "Me too," she admitted. "I think we're going to get along fine."

 

**Author's Note:**

> This section was written by Ailelie, with quick beta by Cinaed.


End file.
